It was either bad timing or good timing that pushed Charlie Hunnam out of the role of Christian Grey in "Fifty Shades of Grey." The role went to Jamie Dornan and he'll keep it into the next films. There was speculation that the "Sons of Anarchy" actor had second thoughts about joining the "Fifty Shades" world, but Charlie told V Man magazine (via People) that it still haunts him that he had to disappoint so many people and back away.

It was the worst professional experience of my life. It was the most emotionally destructive and difficult thing that I've ever had to deal with professionally. It was heartbreaking."

Why did he leave? Because he had already given his word to his friend Guillermo del Toro to do "Crimson Peak" and when the filming schedules clashed -- between the end of "Sons of Anarchy" to "Fifty Shades" to "Crimson Peak" -- he didn't want to half-arse any of the roles and decided Christian Grey was a no-go.

The toughest part, he said, was having to tell director Sam Taylor-Johnson that he would no longer be her Christian. Based on Charlie's description, it sounds like it was a really emotional breakup call.

I called her and we both cried our eyes out on the phone for 20 minutes. I needed to tell her that this was not going to work."

It's not you, it's me! At least they bounced back all right with Jamie Dornan. And Charlie's fans seem more than fine with him leaving "Fifty Shades" -- they think he was too good for it anyway.

Meanwhile, the second movie, "Fifty Shades Darker," is scheduled for a February 10, 2017 release. The third movie, "Fifty Shades Freed," is scheduled for February 9, 2018.